📍 How to Track Vacation Rental Market Data in Your Local Area
In today’s competitive short-term rental (STR) landscape, success depends on more than just great photos and glowing reviews. To truly thrive, property managers and hosts must understand the local market dynamics—and that means knowing how to track and interpret vacation rental market data.
Whether you're operating in a beach town, ski resort, or urban hot spot, here’s how to get the data you need to make informed, profitable decisions for your vacation rental business.
🔍 Why Market Data Matters
Understanding your local STR market allows you to:
Set competitive pricing
Identify booking trends and seasonality
Evaluate demand before acquiring a new property
Benchmark your performance against local competitors
Without this data, you’re flying blind. With it, you can optimize your listings, outperform competitors, and grow with confidence.
🧭 Step-by-Step: How to Track Vacation Rental Market Data
1. Define Your Market Area
Start by clearly defining your “local” market. This could be:
A neighborhood (e.g., North Beach in San Francisco)
A zip code or city (e.g., Asheville, NC)
A region or travel destination (e.g., The Great Smoky Mountains)
👉 The more precisely you define your market, the more accurate your data will be.
2. Use Market Intelligence Tools
There are several platforms built specifically for tracking STR market data. Here are a few of the most popular and reliable:
AirDNA – Provides in-depth analytics including ADR, occupancy, RevPAR, booking trends, and demand forecasting. Great for both macro and micro market views.
Mashvisor – Combines rental performance with real estate investment metrics. Useful for evaluating ROI on new acquisitions.
Key Data Dashboard – Offers real-time, aggregated data from actual STR bookings. Ideal for larger property managers.
Transparent – Specializes in market benchmarking and analytics at the city and neighborhood level.
💡 Pro Tip: Most platforms offer free snapshots, but a paid subscription unlocks advanced filters and trends over time.
3. Track Core Performance Metrics
The most valuable market data includes:
Occupancy Rate – How full are local STRs on average?
ADR (Average Daily Rate) – What are guests paying per night?
RevPAR (Revenue per Available Rental Night) – How much income per available night?
Booking Window – How far in advance do guests typically book?
Length of Stay – Are guests staying 2 nights or 7?
These insights help you adjust your pricing, minimum stay rules, and calendar availability to better align with guest behavior.
4. Monitor Competitor Listings
Tracking specific competitor listings gives you a hands-on view of your local market:
Search your area on Airbnb and filter by “Superhost” or “Top-rated stays”
Analyze nightly rates, cleaning fees, occupancy calendars, and listing quality
Read guest reviews to see what travelers value (or complain about)
Tools like Rankbreeze or Beyond Pricing can help automate and enhance this process.
5. Track Local Events and Seasonality
Market data isn’t just numbers—it’s also about context. Keep a calendar of local events, holidays, and peak travel periods to anticipate surges in demand.
Some ideas:
Festivals, concerts, or major sports events
School holiday calendars
Seasonal trends (e.g., foliage season, ski season, spring break)
Tools like AirDNA offer future demand forecasting that incorporates these elements, helping you optimize pricing months in advance.
6. Compare Historical Data
Understanding year-over-year trends is crucial to long-term planning. Track:
How did occupancy or pricing perform this year vs. last?
Was demand affected by travel trends or economic conditions?
Are booking windows shrinking or expanding?
This historical lens helps you prepare for recurring trends and avoid repeating past mistakes.
📈 Turning Data Into Action
Once you’ve collected and analyzed your market data, here’s what to do next:
Adjust pricing dynamically based on demand, not guesswork
Refine your marketing to target the right guest segments
Expand wisely by identifying under-served locations with high ROI potential
Improve listings to match (or exceed) top-performing properties nearby
Final Thoughts
Tracking vacation rental market data isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a game-changer. In a fast-paced industry like short-term rentals, local knowledge backed by real-time data gives you the edge you need to scale successfully.
